InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Her Protector ❯ Tuesday Blues - Congregations, Cooperations and Conflagarations ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Inuyasha, it's the sole property of Goddess Romiko Takahashi, and I cannot take credit for her genius.

 

Kagome is a college student unaware of the mortal peril she is in. He's a bitter silver - haired Adonis with a checkered past and a vow to protect humans. So when the two meet, it's a given that fireworks follow…

 

 

A/N: Firstly I want to thank all my reviewers for their support. I was deeply touched and moved by all your reviews. A big warm hug to all you wonderful people.

 

This chapter should in all fairness be dedicated to Sesshomaru_Kagome_lover_4ever for being my 50th reviewer but I was so moved by all your encouragement and your wonderful reviews that this is dedicated to all my reviewers!

 

Also, I got my first criticism. Yay! Thanks inu_luver_2004 for caring enough to write down your grouses with this story. I truly appreciate it though I'm sorry that you are disappointed with `Her Protector'. My reply to you is as follows: The thing is that I'm actually following my summary to a T. The essence of the summary is that when Kagome and a silver haired hunk meet fireworks follow. (see the top of the page for a quick recap) a) It never confirms who the hunk is - It could have been Sessy, Inu or god forbid, even Ryu. Though that little matter I cleared up in Chap 1 itself, so that the readers knew what they were getting. b) It never mentions that the fireworks will be between the two people mentioned. Though it is understood that there WILL be fireworks between Sessy and Kagome, the summary actually means that once the two meet, there will be a lot of changes and explosive events in their life.

In this story Sesshomaru is the central character of the story unlike most others where Kagome is the central character. And since Rin is an important part of Sessy's life, she naturally gains some prominence in this story.

Also, unlike other stories that just focus on one pairing and leave the others as background dross, I'm trying to juggle numerous pairings at the same time. Though Kags and Sessy are the main pairing, the others will also be important. And if you've read `Precious', you might get an idea as to what I'm trying to accomplish. I do hope you will continue reading.

.

 

And on a happier note - Her Protector has got 12500+ hits, so my deepest gratitude to all those who have read the story. Also, a big thanks to all those wonderful people who have added my story to their favs / alert list.

 

Whether you like the story or hate it, please review, I will truly appreciate it.

 

A/N: All praise to my wonderful beta Rowdyjaner for her invaluable help.

 

 

Chapter 9 -

Tuesday Blues

Congregations, Cooperations & Conflagrations

 

 

`I believe what she's trying to explain is that she's Miroku's girl.'

 

Rin whimpered against the pillow, as she tried to unsuccessfully drown out the hanyou's words.

 

`I believe what she's trying to explain is that she's Miroku's girl.'

 

`Miroku's girl!'

 

It was now early morning and the girl was exhausted, barely having slept for an hour or two. The entire night her mind had been buzzing. She had repeatedly gone over the events of the disastrous evening, constantly worrying over the consequences and complications that the evening was likely to cause. She had especially worried about the reactions of her inuyoukai protector. And then she had thought in great detail about the fact that she had come face-to-face with the one she had kissed so passionately.

 

Until before the party, she had thought that she had been blessed to meet a chilled out guy like Miroku on the very first day of her new life. He had accompanied her to her dorm room, making her laugh with his witty - though mostly hentai - comments and jokes. Rin had enjoyed the man's company and she had been pretty sure that they could have been good friends.

 

But, it seemed that the Kamis couldn't bear to see her happy. And so, had promptly landed her in another mess. If only she had not gone to the party, if only that foolish dragon demon had not accosted her, if only…

 

xxXxx

 

”I believe what she's trying to explain is that she's Miroku's girl!”

 

Rin stood mesmerized by the hanyou's molten eyes as he stared at her with an inscrutable expression on his face. A strange excitement ran through her veins at the sound of his deep voice though the words caused her some trepidation. `His eyes look so beautiful and his voice…'

 

She snapped out of her semi-trance as she heard the far wall decisively halt the dragon demon's sudden flight from her side. Wiping her damp hands against her jeans, she tried to work some moisture into her parched mouth. `Say something, damnit! Stop staring!'

 

She had just opened her mouth to thank him, when Miroku emerged from amongst the throng. The man pushed aside his friend in his haste to reach the girl. “Rin, are you okay?”

 

She flushed as he clasped her hands in his, catching a small flicker of emotion on the hanyou's face before it was smoothed away. The hanyou turned away with a low growl. “Keep your panties on, Miro! Your girlfriend's just fine.”

 

It would have almost been comical to see the way the man's eyes widened at the words and the speed with which he dropped her hands, if she had not been so upset. But before the either of them could say something to refute the assumption, a loud snarl had them tensing and turning towards its source.

 

A seething, growling Ryukotsusei stood slowly, shaking his head, his silver eyes bleeding red and the purple highlights in his hair glowing manically. He looked at the trio, as people and demons alike began edging away from the unfolding confrontation and seeking means of escaping the hall. “Half-breed, you dare strike me for this whore? You will not live to regret this, you miserable abomination. I will-”

 

A laconic smile graced the hanyou's face as he interrupted the demon. “Can it, windbag. I cannot bear to hear you whine any more. And she is no whore, she is his girlfriend. Even a weak dragon like you should have been able to smell his claim on her.”

 

Rin gaped at the hanyou's retreating back as he leisurely made his way towards the demon. She wanted to correct the misconception but instinctively knew that now would not be a good time. She turned to look at Miroku to get some sort of support from him but the man was staring at his friend with apprehension and worry.

 

“Weak? I am Ryukotsusei! The strongest drag-”

 

Inuyasha had almost reached the dragon when he suddenly sped up and punched the dragon in the face. The demon flew back, his head hitting the wall again with a loud crunch, as plaster rained around him. The demon crumpled to the floor in an undignified heap. “That was for calling me half-breed. And this,” the hanyou drew back his foot and kicked him solidly in the ribs, “…is for calling me a miserable abomination.”

 

The demon wheezed and glared at the smirking hanyou before swiftly sweeping his feet from under him, rolling over him and pinning him to the floor. Claws repeatedly raked the hanyou's face until he was able to heave the demon off him. Both adversaries stood, circling each other warily.

 

Rin cried out at the sight of the hanyou's blood and realised that she was holding onto Miroku's shirt, her head resting against his shoulder and his arms around her. She immediately pushed herself away from him. `How in the seven hells did I reach that position?'

 

Miroku gave her a distracted half-smile before returning his gaze to the ongoing fight. He watched as his friend used Blades of Blood to attack the demon and then gasped as the attack shredded the dragon's clothes but did not harm his body. The demon chuckled and ran towards the Inu. He raked the surprised hanyou's arm in a fluid move before backhanding him across the room.

 

“What happened, half-breed maggot? Did you actually think you could best me? Tsk tsk!”

 

The demon blazed towards his fallen foe and pulled up the dazed hanyou by his hair. As he drew his hand back to swipe at the other's exposed throat, he was knocked to the floor by a powerful uppercut.

 

The red-eyed hanyou loomed over his opponent. “Don't forget it, you oversized worm, the name is Inuyasha!” With that he viciously kicked the demon's much abused head causing it to snap back and hit the stone floor with a crack. The strike proved too much even for the hardheaded dragon and he slipped into unconsciousness with a small groan.

 

Miroku at once ran towards his friend to help him while Rin could only stand there in shock. `No! No! No! It can't be…'

 

As Miroku tried to gauge the extent of damage to his blood-soaked friend, Inuyasha looked over at the immobile girl, scenting her distress from across the by-now empty hall. “Miro, go see to your girl. I'm fine. Stop fussing! One would think that you've never seen me bleed before.”

 

The human flushed “Uh…about that-”

 

“Miro, just go!” Muttering something beneath his breath, the hanyou turned on his heel and exited the hall. Miroku stared at his retreating friend for a moment and then walked self-consciously towards the girl. `What do I say to her? Oh Buddha! Why have you made things so awkward between us?'

 

Rin looked up as her `boyfriend' approached her. She waited for him to say something but when he didn't she shrugged. “Let's get out of here before the bloody demon wakes up.”

 

Miroku nodded and followed her out. As they walked silently across fields bathed in moonlight towards the female dorms, he decided to confront the issue head on. “What did I miss before the free-for-all?”

 

The girl gave a soft sigh and softly repeated an edited version of the dragon's cruel words, ending with “…and then suddenly the hanyou was there, pushing him off me and calling me your girlfriend.” She paused before asking him delicately. “What gave him that idea, Miroku?”

 

He avoided her question to ask her rather bluntly, “What did the dragon mean when he said that you were claimed?”

 

She gasped and looked away, tears filling her eyes. Part of her wanted to tell the human the truth and the other part rebelled against telling him anything. Swallowing hard she decided to tell him a part of the truth and so stuttered, “I…He was right. I…I have…a demon protector.”

 

There was silence for a few seconds. “So you are a Pet.”

 

Even though he had not asked her a question, she hesitated for a moment before nodding miserably. She could feel his eyes boring into her. She knew that most humans viewed Pets as nothing more than whores and sex slaves. She was sure that Miroku would want nothing to do with her after knowing her status. For the first time in her life, she was embarrassed about her situation. And it made her feel very small, very uncomfortable.

 

She waited for the other shoe to drop and for him to say the hateful words. But when the silence stretched on, she could bear it no longer. Almost timidly she looked at his face to gauge his reaction to her confession. She was sure that there would be revulsion and shock on his face but was surprised to see that same strange look in his eyes that she had seen earlier. Even though he was looking at her, he seemed a million miles away, his brow wrinkling in thought. “I see.”

 

The girl wrapped her arms around herself in anxiety, hating the judgmental silence. Wanting to fill the silence she started babbling. “Yes, he's inuyoukai and he's very powerful. He's very good to me. He told me that his scent would warn off all males and…”

 

She trailed off as the man touched her shoulder gently. His expression was guarded as he softly asked her. “Rin, tell me the truth, are you a consensual pet?”

 

Of all the words the man could have said to her, these were the ones she least expected. And, though the question was one that gave her an odd sort of relief, it also irritated her with its connotation in reference to Sesshomaru. “Of course! In fact, I was the one who asked him to…” Immediately she bit her lip and blushed knowing how it would appear to her hentai friend.

 

Miroku gave a small smile. “Who would have thought you were so aggressive?” He waggled his eyebrows as she blushed some more. Then he sobered. “So let me see if I've got the sequence of events right. Your protector had scent marked you before you came to college to protect his claim but the rain washed it away. My scent got transferred to you when you wore my jacket and the dragon thought we had…uh…slept together. Then Inuyasha appeared there and defended you by saying that you were my girlfriend. Have I got it right?” As Rin nodded, he grinned. “Great. Why are you so worried, then? Its pretty clear as to what we have to do.” At the girl's quizzical expression, he beamed. “Do you object to being called my girlfriend?”

 

She gasped and stepped away from him. “Did you hear nothing I said? Does it not matter to you that I am a Pet?”

 

He sighed at her stony expression. “Firstly, I have no problem with you being a Pet. It is your own personal matter and I do not think that I, of all people, have any right to be judgmental. As long as it was done with your consent, how does it matter? And secondly, you misunderstood me. What I meant was: Do you object to being my pretend girlfriend?”

 

The girl only gaped at him in silence, her wide eyes scanning his face as if to find the truth to his words in his features.

 

He shrugged and started walking slowly. “As I see it, the world already thinks that we are together. So it will be only a question of making it official. And since I am not going to try to put any moves on you this will be the perfect way for your protector's claim to be maintained. It is ideal for the both of us unless…unless you have some reservations about me.”

 

Rin trotted along with him with a weak smile as her mind processed the information. “Wait, I don't want to sound overly-suspicious, but you said both of us…what do you stand to gain?”

 

The man looked at her and said seriously. “Rin, you should know that I am a renowned lecher and a womanizer. I have never had a serious relationship in my life. This has often landed me in a pickle with the women I bed. But with you as my pretend girlfriend, I have a perfect excuse for not committing to any other woman.” He gave her a wide smile. “Besides, that would make me unattainable. You have no idea how many girls find unattainable men hot.”

 

Rin giggled at that as her mind whirled. `There are a lot of merits to his plan. Points in his favour - he is one of the few men that I do trust, I enjoy his company, he has laid out his cards as to his reasons and not hidden anything, he wants to still associate with me despite knowing that I'm a Pet and I know he will not hurt me. Points against - Sesshomaru's reaction! Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Besides, the fact that Miroku's scent overwhelmed Sesshomaru's claim is a clear indication that his youki has weakened due to his female avatar. I'm sure he'll be happy that I've chosen a strong protector to protect me.'

 

Smiling she struck out her hand “Fine, partner. I agree that it is the best plan.” `…at least until Sesshomaru gets here.'

 

xxXxx

 

Rin moaned into the pillow. `What was I thinking?'

 

Reasons that had seemed so sound the previous night somehow seemed shaky as the girl second-guessed herself in the morning light. Though she had developed into a good judge of character, especially when it came to males, she wondered what it was about Miroku that had her trusting him so much in one day. She just hoped that she was not making a mistake. Hadn't he himself said that he was a letch? How could she trust a self-proclaimed womanizer? After spending the better part of the day with the man, she knew that his description of himself was correct.

 

And just as strongly as she knew that fact, she also knew that she could trust him. Which led her to question herself - just why was she so sure of him? Surprisingly she could not identify a reason that could match up to the strength of her conviction. Was it because he had helped her in her time of need, because he reminded her of her protector or was there another reason altogether?

 

Then there was the small matter of Sesshomaru. She knew that the Inuyoukai would not be happy with this development. Closing her eyes, she grimaced. `That has to be the biggest understatement of the year. He'll probably try to eviscerate poor Miroku once he hears that I'm supposed to be his girl!'

 

And, of course, thinking of the inuyoukai made her think of another Inu that she was trying to avoid thinking of. She tossed around in her bed, thinking of everything but that one thought, but, of course, the more she avoided it, the more it niggled at her. And then, suddenly, it burst through all her restraints, reverberating through her brain with sudden ferocity. `I kissed Inuyasha! Of all the hanyou in the world, it had to be Inuyasha who made me feel so good that day!'

 

She wanted to scream at herself. When the hanyou had thrown the dragon off her, she had looked into his flashing golden eyes and had instinctively wanted to kiss him. She had wanted to experience the same warm feeling that she had felt that day at Poison. Even now, despite knowing who the hanyou was to her protector, she craved that feeling. `What is wrong with me? Why am I thinking these strange thoughts?'

 

Taking a deep breath, she forced her flushed self to relax. She felt as if her body was malfunctioning, quivering with a strange emotion at the thought of the hanyou. She felt both restless and sluggish at the same time. And her head felt like a battleground, with jumbled thoughts of the three males clamoring for her attention.

 

She couldn't take it anymore and decided that she needed to sleep over the entire matter before she spontaneously self-combusted. Having slept only a couple of hours in the last ninety odd hours, it was no wonder that she was behaving so irrationally. The best part was that, though it was already morning, she had no classes today and could easily spend the day catching up on her sleep.

 

Screwing her eyes closed, she tried to empty her mind of her strange thoughts and calm down her wound up muscles. Finally, exhaustion won and the girl drifted off to sleep.

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

 

Miroku eased open the door, careful to make as little noise as possible. The room he was entering was dark, the shades having been pulled over the windows to prevent sunlight from lighting up the room. Quickly reviewing the actions of a person in stealth mode in his head, as he had gleaned from the numerous spy movies he had seen, he silently took off his shoes with a nervous smile. Barefoot, he peered into the dark room and then, gathering his courage, slowly set foot in the room. For all the caution he was displaying, he might as well have been attempting to breach an enemy stronghold, rather than entering his own dorm room. He had barely tip-toed it to his bed, when a growl alerted him to the fact that his efforts had been in vain. Sighing, he dropped the shoes in his hand with a thud and flopped onto his bed.

 

As the lights came on, he stretched and yawned loudly before peeking at the pissed hanyou propped up in the other bed. A hanyou with fading scars on his face, who was currently shooting him dirty looks. “Hey Inu! I see your battle wounds are already healed.”

 

Sunrise-coloured orbs looked at him cynically as the hanyou took an ostentatious and overly dramatic sniff. “Miro, my brother, did you have a good night?”

 

The human froze in his actions, before making a vague gesture. “Ah…just the usual.”

 

“And, just where did you sleep last night?” asked the hanyou politely.

 

The human shrugged nervously. It was a toss-up as to what was more dangerous - a polite Inuyasha or an atom bomb on the verge of detonation. Because the end effect of both was about the same - the absolute destruction of the one who was unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end. “Umm…I spent the night in the female dorms.” He hoped that his friend would drop this line of questioning after hearing the vague answer, but the resounding growl from the hanyou immediately dashed his hopes.

 

“Okay, that does it. I gave you a chance to come clean but if you're going to act like that then I have no choice but to drag it out of you. What the fuck do you think you're doing announcing to the world that you have a girlfriend and then sleeping with someone else on the very same night? Just what the hell is happening here, Miro? Have you lost your mind?”

 

As the volcano that was Inuyasha paused for breath, the human made his move, raising his upper body away from the bed and calmly looking at the agitated male. “Inu, calm down! Why are you getting so worked up over this?”

 

The said hanyou nearly leapt off his bed in his rage. “Damnit, Miroku! I want some answers. You've been hiding things from me and it is driving me crazy. I thought we had promised each other that we'd never get seriously involved with any female. Why in the seven hells did you then go and claim that girl? Why would you want to give up your freedom and commit to anyone, especially since you're clearly not even honoring the commitment?”

 

His friend sulkily muttered, “It's not like I had a chance, what with you broadcasting to everyone that I had claimed her.” As the other threw him an incredulous look, he raised himself on the bed to sit in the lotus position before attempting to placate the hanyou. “Inu…uh…it just…happened, you know. You told everyone that she was claimed by me, I could hardly refute that without making her look bad. And I do care for her, its just…I'm not meant to be monogamous.”

 

“Does she love you?”

 

The question threw the man and he looked up to see his friend staring at him with a most peculiar expression. `Oh great! How am I supposed to answer this question without making things worse?'

 

Carefully he dropped his eyes to the floor, as he felt around for the right words to answer the simple question. “She…likes me and cares for me. But love? I don't know, Inu, and that's the truth.”

 

“This is pure bullshit! If you care for her and she cares for you, like you say she does, then you wouldn't have spent the night in some other girl's bed. This is all wrong, Miro. In my opinion, if you have claimed a girl then you should have the balls to be faithful to her.”

 

Pressing his hands to his head, the human gave a silent groan at his friend's nagging. And in his desperation to get the hanyou off his back he said the first thing that came to his mind. “Why should I be faithful? It's not like she…” He quickly clamped his mouth before the truth about their deal was revealed. “Look, Inu, I know what I'm doing.”

 

Getting off the bed, he quickly strode into the bathroom and shut the door, leaning heavily against the wooden frame. His breath hitched and his eyes squeezed shut. He hated lying to his friend but, in spite of that, he had rather perfected the art over the years. `How many times, how many lies have I uttered. Buddha help me. But I could not have done anything differently then and I can't do anything different now. I will protect her. And if she ever came to know why I am really helping her, she would probably hate me…But she never will know, will she? No, she can never know.' Squaring his shoulders, he sat down in the bathtub and closed his eyes, letting the memories, both good and bad, wash over him and pull him under.

 

Outside, a rather stunned hanyou was drowning in his thoughts. He recalled his friend's rather terse statement. `Why should I be faithful? It's not like she…'

 

His mind completed the statement - It's not like she is faithful to me.

 

The hanyou agreed that it was most likely what Miroku had been about to say. Miro's girl had been unfaithful to him. He had hoped in his heart of hearts that that wasn't the reason for the man's infidelity but once again, he had been let down.

 

When he had seen the girl at the party, his stomach had fluttered for he had recognised her as the mysterious girl from Poison who had fled from him. But his delight at seeing her again had been mitigated once he'd come within sniffing distance of her. She had been saturated with Miroku's scent. It had been so strong on her that it had almost totally obliterated the faint youki that he had detected from the girl. This had led him to realize that the girl had been initially claimed by a youkai.

 

He had been confused. If the girl had been claim marked, then no other scent in the world could have overpowered it. Yet Miroku's scent had done precisely that. It was because the human's scent had been powerful enough to overpower the demon's youki and because it had covered her so completely that he had made the proclamation that the human had claimed the girl. Of course, it was a demon's youki that turned a scent mark into a claim mark but the strength of his friend's scent was such that the hanyou considered it to be a human version of the claiming scent.

 

When the dragon had called her a whore and had threatened her, the hanyou had lost it. He shouldn't have interfered since it was none of his business but the fear that was radiating from her had spurred him to remove the cause for her fear. And so he had pulled the demon off her.

 

And then, when Miroku had appeared and had held her hands so reverently, he had felt an odd twinge in his heart that his friend had been lucky enough to find love. That, coupled with anger at his own misfortune in that department and the taunts of the demon, had enraged him enough to attack the dragon. While it had been very satisfying to kick dragon butt, he had not missed the way the girl had cowered against his friend at his violent tendencies. Nor had he missed the fact that his friend had immediately taken her into his arms to comfort her.

 

A soft growl issued from his throat at the memory of her distressed face when the fight had ended. He had not known whether the girl was distressed because she thought that he would rat her out on the kiss or whether she was distressed by the fight. All he knew was that he had decided there and then that he would not mention the kiss to Miroku. He also decided not to mention the weak youki on her. He would give his friend a chance for happiness - a happiness he knew he could never have.

 

But the girl had turned out to be just like so many other girls he had known: a complete slut. As far as he knew, she had betrayed her protector with Miroku and then betrayed the human with another. For someone who looked so angelic and innocent, she sure did get around a lot. Acknowledging that this was just another of those `can't judge a book by its cover' kind of situations, he shook his head in disgust. Before knowing the truth he had actually sympathized with her but now knew that any sympathy was wasted on her.

 

He thought back to the moment Miroku had entered their room stinking of sex and of a strange female. He had instantly become livid that his friend had been unfaithful after making a commitment, something that the hanyou absolutely despised. He had decided at that time that he would try to prevent his friend from straying from his pretty girlfriend but now he couldn't care less. If Miroku slept around, well, the girl deserved no better since she was hardly a paragon of virtue.

 

As he sank back into his bed, washing his hands of the whole deal, one stray thought wandered into his head causing him some disquiet - If the girl was so promiscuous, then why had she run from him after that one delightful kiss?

 

It took him a few minutes, but he sighed and closed his eyes, as he recalled the one constant curse in his life that managed to spoil anything worthwhile for him.

 

`What else, because I'm hanyou!'

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

 

“What the fuck do you mean I can't change my room?” Rin awoke with a start as she heard a loud feminine voice thundering in the hallway. “Do you have any idea who I am?”

 

“…”

 

“No, I will not lower my voice! I am most displeased and I want the world to know it. Don't doubt that I will be making an official complaint regarding this.”

 

“…”

 

“I have always shared my dorm with her. It is even listed on our preference form. So what do you mean the office administration made a mistake? I don't care how you do it. I want this mistake to be fixed, right now!”

 

The enraged female was coming progressively closer and though Rin could not hear the dorm director's replies she had a vague foreboding that this was the dreaded Sango Watanabe aka…her dorm mate.

 

She cracked an eye open and blearily looked at the bedside clock. It took a moment to register that she had slept through a major part of day. She yawned, listening to the vocal soap opera unfolding outside her room.

 

“I DON'T CARE ABOUT RULES. Do you understand what I'm saying?”

 

The dorm manager's fretful voice could now be heard, responding to the other, “Ms Watanabe, please try to understand, once rooms have been assigned they cannot be changed. I know you want to bunk with your friend but I'm sorry, it just wouldn't be possible right now.”

 

Rin gave a soft gasp as the door to the room crashed open with a loud bang. “We'll see about that, old bat. Get out of my room!” A loud crash punctuated her statement as the door banged close.

 

Rin watched in amazement and slight awe as a blazing mass of feminity strode into the room, cursing the dorm manager and her antecedents at the top of her voice. The woman dumped her bags on her bed and then stopped her tirade long enough to turn back and glare at the curious girl on the other bed. “What the hell are you staring at? Never heard someone cuss?”

 

Rin gaped at the other girl. The girl had a chiseled face with beautiful cinnamon-coloured eyes. Her strong features, though set into a grimace, clearly proclaimed the fact that she was pretty. Her long brunette tresses were arrayed into a high ponytail that nearly skimmed her butt, while bangs covered her forehead. Her tanned and slightly muscular body was clothed in green figure-hugging slacks, a bright coral tube top and a baby pink jacket.

 

Rin finished her obvious perusal as the other snapped her fingers in irritation. “Hey, I'm talking to you. You deaf or something?”

 

Rin gave a loud fake yawn, waving her hand in front of her mouth and rolling her eyes. She then smiled at the irate girl in front of her. “Nah, I can hear just fine. Though with a voice like yours it's not a wonder that people feign deafness.”

 

Sango's mouth dropped open. She was already very irritated with the world and couldn't bear that the little chit was mouthing off to her. `I should probably chew her out for it. If she complains to the dorm manager about me, then I can get my room changed, right?'

 

Rin smiled and extended her hand. “Let's start over. Hi! My name is Rin and I'm guessing you're Sango.”

 

The older girl scoffed at her words and turned away. “As if I'm interested in knowing you. Get this clear in your head, girl. We are not going to share this room in any circumstance, so let's just avoid the pleasantries.”

 

She peeked over her shoulder, fully expecting the other girl to be either angry or crushed at her words but was mildly surprised to see her smiling brightly. The young girl sat up in her bed and shook her head. “You know, it's not going to work, Sango. I know you are thinking something on the lines of hounding me till I complain so that you get to change your room, but believe me when I say that I can take anything you throw at me so don't even bother.”

 

Sango grudgingly conceded that the girl had guts even if she seemed to lack enough common sense. “Sweety, you have no idea what I can do. Hasn't the dorm manager warned you about me?”

 

“Yes, she has, sweety. But, like I said, you at your worst couldn't even hold a candle to the person I've lived with. So I reckon you should get comfortable in this room because I don't think you're going anywhere soon. By the way, who's this girl you're so desperate to stay with?”

 

Sango could see that the girl had a hard core in her and if there was something that she appreciated, it was strength of character. It was this revelation that made her unbend a bit. “Though it's none of your concern, I'll tell you, since I will be shifting to her room very soon. The girl's my best friend and we always stay together.”

 

Sango saw a sad, wistful expression cross the other's face that almost melted her. Angry with herself, she turned on her heel and surveyed the cramped, dingy room with disdain. She sneered at the single dresser, which was strewn with Rin's makeup and lotions. And, in her desperate attempt to hold onto her anger, she glared at the small writing table that was laden with the other girl's possessions while neatly arranging her own stuff on the other writing table.

 

She had just taken off her jacket and was in the process of hanging it up in the closet when she heard a sharp gasp. She heard the other girl climb off her bed and rush towards her. “Your back…it's so badly bruised! Kami! How can you walk around like this?”

 

Rin stared at Sango's mostly exposed back. Large multi-coloured bruises covered her skin like some fantastic tattoo. The girl could not even fathom how a person with such extensive bruising could walk around behaving normally. She hesitantly reached out a hand and gently touched the wounded girl's shoulder.

 

The older girl looked over her shoulder with a small cynical smile. “What, those little things? They don't hurt anymore…Don't start crying or anything over them, okay? I won't have you go all weepy on me.”

 

Having lived with an emotionally challenged demon, Rin had become quite adept at reading hidden emotions. And her years of practice were proving to be rather useful here. From the barely perceptible widening of the wounded girl's eyes at her gentle touch, Rin knew that the discolorations were still tender. She was very sure that while Sango was acting sarcastic and unaffected, she was in a fair bit of pain from the bruises. She wondered if the physical pain had made the other grouchy and made her lash out like she had done a while ago.

 

Rin nodded abstractedly as she thought through things, “Hmm!” Immediately, she ran towards her wardrobe, messing up her already cluttered shelves in her quest. A muffled voice was heard from the depths of her closet. ”You know what, even though your back's not hurting, I've got this wonderful herbal concoction that you can use. It's very soothing. If nothing else at least it'll lighten those horrible marks.”

 

She emerged a few seconds later, victoriously holding a small plastic bottle in her hand. She positively beamed with happiness but her smile cracked at seeing the other girl's disdainful face. She held up her hand to ward off the protests she knew were forthcoming. “Yes, yes, I know you don't need my help or anything, but just use it!”

 

Sango gave her a level stare for a few seconds before huffing, “Fine!” She took the bottle from Rin's hand and moved towards a chair. Within a few seconds, she was awkwardly applying the cool lotion on the parts of her back that she could reach. She gasped and then threw an amazed look at the other girl. “It's really good. Even the last annoying twinges have disappeared. Umm…thanks!”

 

Rin smiled. “Do you want me to help you in applying it?” The girl hesitated for a second before nodding. Rin moved behind her patient, lifted the top's hem enough to slip her hand beneath and started spreading the lotion gently on her back. “How did you get hurt so badly?”

 

Pride laced the girl's voice. “I took part in a fighting competition called `Knockout' and won it. These little beauties are like badges of honour for me.”

 

Rin smiled. “Wow! You must be one heck of a fighter if you managed to win `Knockout'. I've heard that only the best of the best are invited to participate. You know what, maybe we could spar someday.”

 

Sango raised her head at that, disbelief lacing her voice. “I'm not going to spar with you. Fighting is not child's play for me and when I fight, I do not hold back. Do you even know how to fight?”

 

“Oh yes! I have been trained by a youkai, so I'd like to think I'm not bad at it. Maybe I'm not as good as you are but I think it'll be an interesting match.”

 

Sango got up from the chair, as Rin finished applying the lotion. She blinked and spoke almost reverently. “You…you are youkai taught?” At the other girl's nod, she chuckled. “That should teach me not to be fooled by timid looks. By any chance, would your youkai sensei be interested in coaching me?” Then she blanched as she realised what she had said. “Uh…I was just kidding. It's just that I have to prepare for an all youkai competition and my current trainer is…prone to…distractions.”

 

Rin was puzzled at her odd tone but she held her tongue. She was relieved that the other girl was opening up to her. She did not know what it was that made the other girl act civilly with her but she didn't want to jinx it. So she gave a noncommittal shrug. “Oh?”

 

The simple word seemed to egg the fighter into talking. Her words came slowly as she stared into space, behaving as if she were not even aware that there was someone else in the room. “My aunt Kirara used to coach me but she doesn't have any free time anymore. So when he offered to coach me, I was glad. But…he's hardly teaching me anything that I can use in a ring. Maybe it is still early days and I'm getting paranoid…but…” She looked up and seemed to register that Rin was hanging onto her every word. Her eyes grew wide, before she changed the subject with deftness. “By the way, I hope you aren't afraid of youkai. He's also my boyfriend and is bound to be spending a lot of time in my room.”

 

Rin barely hesitated before laughing loudly. “No problem! Youkai teacher, remember?” `As long as the youkai is her boyfriend, he's not going to pay any attention to me and besides, I've been claimed now.' And then she smirked. “And Sango, it's still not working.”

 

Strangely, Sango felt at ease with the younger girl, her earlier rancor having melted under the other's warmth. She knew she had over-reacted to the situation but she did hate spending time with dim-witted tramps and plastic morons. On entering the room, she had been sure that her current dorm-mate would fall into the same category, but had soon been disabused of the assumption after trading insults with the young girl. Even though a small bubble of liking had swelled in the fighter, it was only the revelation that the petite thing was also a fighter, and youkai trained at that, which had made her truly open up. Sango knew that another fighter would accept her and more importantly, understand her. And even though she hated to reveal her emotions to strangers, she had found that talking to Rin had been therapeutic. `Perhaps sharing a dorm with this Rin girl wouldn't be too bad after all. She is quite nice… though rather messy.'

 

She watched with a slight frown as the young girl gathered her strewn clothes from the floor and then haphazardly stuffed them into her wardrobe. A small smile tugged the corner of Sango's lips at the girl's antics. `Not only do I have to deal with training for `Annhilation' with my overly-amorous demon boyfriend but now I have to get used to living with this strangely endearing girl…Hmm! Seems like this term is going to be rather interesting.'

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

Blood!

 

There was so much blood all around him. As he looked around it seemed as if he were standing amidst a sea of blood. Copper smelling, bright, it coated him like a second skin. It stained his hands and his claws, sparkling in the moonlight. Looking at the red stained earth and the mangled bodies strewn around him, he felt light-headed and dizzy. As he moved, a sharp pain assaulted him and he knew he would die…

 

And then a small angel came to him. Warm brown eyes locked with his crimson orbs as her lips moved…

 

He stood stiffly, whole and healed, as he made his vow to the young child…

 

Fire! The fiery monster from hell roared with laughter as he attempted to reach it. Hot and malevolent, the red eyed monster grew in front of him as he ran towards it. No matter how fast he ran the fire remained as distant as ever. Screams of pain echoed all around him as the fire devoured her. He bellowed in rage and agony. He leapt into the flames to battle the fire, but could not pierce the veil of fire. He had lost her. He had lost the angelic child. He had failed to protect her, he had failed in his vow, he had failed, failed, failed, FAILED!

 

 

Sesshomaru awoke with a start, a fine sheen of perspiration covering his face. He shuddered as he recollected the nightmare. Despondency filled him and unbidden tears formed in his eyes as the memories once again rampaged through his head. He howled in anguish. `Will these memories never stop plaguing me? No matter how many amends I make, no matter how many humans I save, why will my guilt not diminish? Can I ever fully atone for my mistake? Oh Kami, please help me!'

 

He got up from the bed, his hand instinctively moving towards the telephone to call up Rin. He immediately snatched his hand back. `I can't keep using her as a buffer. She is away enjoying her new freedom. I can't dump all this on her.' Squeezing his eyes shut, he took two deep breaths. Throwing on a pair of sweats, he moved to the training room and started moving through a series of preternaturally fast katas. His efforts paid off and, as he worked up a light sweat, the accusatory voices in his head diminished once again.

 

Though his goal had been achieved, he continued to push himself harder as punishment. The more his muscles burned with pain, the more the pain in his heart and gut lessened. The girl had been someone he cared deeply for and whenever he thought of her death, he felt physically sick. He owed the girl everything for she had taught him how to live and he…he had let her die. A small groan left his mouth and he quickly diverted his thoughts lest the voices come back.

 

He thought of the coming day and wondered what it would bring to him. Thoughts of the case and his new principal, Kagome, made him resolve that he would be successful in his endeavors to save the young miko. Never again would he falter in his vow. He would not let any other human down.

 

Thoughts about becoming Kikyou and behaving like a female worried him slightly. Of all the roles he had played, this was one that was the most challenging and also, the most important. He prayed fervently that he would not mess it up. That he would be able to achieve both his objectives without any hindrance.

 

Shaking his head in sudden dejection at the almost insurmountable tasks in front of him, he stopped his katas and went back to his room to begin preparing for the role of his lifetime. In just one day's time, he would meet Inuyasha and that thought filled him with dread and excitement in equal measures. A small smile flitted onto his face and then was wiped out. He knew that that meeting would not go well if he was in his true form. Only in the guise of Kikyou could he hope to meet the hanyou. With a grunt at the bitter irony that was life, he got to work.

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

“Kagome.”

 

“Kagome!”

 

Exasperated Satori put a little more force into her voice to catch her daughter's attention. “Kagome!”

 

Kagome looked up sharply at that, a soft “Hai” falling off her lips.

 

“Daughter, it is time. We are beginning the ceremony.”

 

Kagome nodded, smoothed her miko dress and silently moved into the house. Satori frowned at the zombie that was her daughter and moved towards the shrine. Since morning, the girl had been acting distant. When she had first seen her daughter's pale skin and swollen eyes, she had been worried that the girl was coming down with some kind of illness. Worry had prompted her to take the girl to a doctor for a checkup but had been relieved to know that her daughter was not ill.

 

She wondered what was suffocating her daughter's usually strong spirit and causing her to be so listless and quiet. Kagome had gone about the various chores in the house and the shrine with uncharacteristic silence. When the woman probed her, the girl refused to admit anything was wrong with her and so the worried mother had stopped her enquiries. But she had made sure to keep her eye on the girl as she went about her cleaning duties.

 

And now that the time for the purification ceremony was at hand, Satori hoped that the girl would do her part correctly. She had specially scheduled this ceremony to entreat the Kamis for Kagome's protection through the trying times ahead. Of course, the girl herself had no idea that the entire ritual was for her benefit, having been told that it was just a regular purification ceremony.

 

xxXxx

 

Kagome picked up the platters of offerings and the small, freshly cut branches of evergreen trees before moving towards the shrine. Her mother had informed her earlier that she would have to take on the duties that the extinct mikos once performed in ceremonies such as these, since the girl who usually assisted her mother was unwell. She frowned slightly at the strange attire she had worn to play the part correctly. Despite the fact that the red hakama and the white haori she was wearing were alien to her, she felt entirely too comfortable in them. And for some reason that was creeping her out.

 

She tried to empty her mind of all thought, to prepare herself for the ceremony. As she crossed the threshold of the main shrine, a small voice piped up in her head, scolding her for her behavior. `Stop behaving like a kid, Kagome. You've already spent most of last night and a large part of today in deep melancholy. You've worried your mother for no reason, made yourself look like the newest emo on the block and have wasted your precious tears. And all for that no good Hojo. Why are you so upset? So he lied to you and betrayed you. It doesn't mean that it's the end of the world. Besides, you are the one who ended it with him. So why are you now crying for him? You have more backbone than this. You must be strong!'

 

Feeling utterly chastened, and also surprisingly lighter, the girl quickly moved into the shrine. The sonorous beating of the drum marked the beginning of the ceremony and the girl hurried towards the inner sanctum and the altar, where her mother was already waiting with the other priests and other helpers. As she joined them, her mother opened the doors to the inner sanctum while in the background a low chanting started. She knelt along with the others as they made obeisance to the Kamis, invoking them and presenting them with offerings from the platters of rice and sake that she held.

 

Even though Kagome had never before been a part of this ceremony, always preferring to be one of the onlookers, she felt as if she had done this many times in the past. Today, the ceremony and its many ritualistic steps seemed natural and correct to her, and she found herself moved by the proceedings. The haunting music played by musicians to accompany the offerings, that had once seemed outdated and boring, today seemed soothing and served to enhance the entire experience for her. For the first time, she felt truly part of the ceremony and it thrilled her.

 

After the offerings, her mother recited the ancient prayers of protection for all the attendees and their families. Kagome, to her surprise, found herself muttering the same prayers under her breath. Her surprise came from the fact that, even though she had never bothered to learn the words to the prayer in the past, today the words just rolled off her tongue with ease.

 

Once all the Kamis had been called and sent back, it was time for Kagome, as the temporary miko, to perform the Kagura in honour of Amaterasu Ohmikami. The girl stood slowly, nervous about performing the sacred dance and worried that she would mess it up. Even though she had practiced a few token steps in the short time that she had, she was unsure whether she could even do those basic movements without a hitch.

 

The opening strains of the music started and all the worries and uncertainties evaporated. Her body moved along with the soothing music, almost off its own accord. `I know this dance, I can do this! I know I will not make a mistake.' Not only did she do the few steps that she had been taught but the entire dance, never faltering, never mistaking. A sense of exhilaration filled the girl. `This is right. My dancing here at this ceremony is proper. I was born to do this.'

 

Satori smiled to herself while her daughter danced. Kagome's miko powers were revealing themselves and, more importantly, Midoriko's soul was waking up. It was no coincidence that the regular `miko' had been unavailable for this ceremony. Satori had wanted her daughter to experience the ceremony for she had been sure that the ancient miko's memories that were dormant in Kagome would revive at a familiar activity and come to aid her daughter.

 

The song finished and Kagome knelt again. Then, the small branches that Kagome had brought with her were picked up by Satori and offered to the kamis. The rite, known as Tamagushi Reihai, was an important part of the ceremony and Satori made sure that Kagome was called on next.

 

As Kagome made the offering, tears appeared in her eyes and a strange warmth flew through her. Though she was not a fanciful girl, she felt as if Amaterasu herself had blessed her. Shaken to the core by the entire experience, she quickly stepped back to allow the others to make their offerings.

 

Her mother wound up the ceremony and handed the ceremonial sake around as communion with the Kamis and Kagome moved towards the shrine's exit. Now that the ceremony was over, it felt as if a cloud had lifted off her mind. `What the hell just happened?'

 

To say she was uneasy over the entire episode was putting it mildly. The girl wondered at the strange feelings of belonging and familiarity she had experienced during the rite. If she truly wanted, she could have rationalized the whole experience by saying that it was her participation in the solemn rite that had moved her. And, that having seen the rituals associated with the ceremony numerous times, she had just replicated the words of the prayers and the steps of the dance that her unconscious mind had absorbed. However, for some reason Kagome felt that there was more to this than what was rational and that there was something that she was overlooking. Some key that was missing and which, when found, would unlock the explanations behind all her odd experiences. But no matter how hard she searched herself for that missing `key', she was unable to find it and it frustrated her. A dull throb began in her head and she gave it up, vowing to continue her mental search later.

 

Stepping out into the evening sun, Kagome gasped and grew rigid. The entire courtyard, one in which she had grown up and knew like the back of her hand, seemed strange to her. Everything around her seemed brighter and all the colours had grown sharper. It was almost as if she had been wearing dark glasses all her life that had prevented her from seeing clearly. `Ah! Kami! It seems like my hallucinations are getting worse!' She blinked a few times, willing the strangeness to go away, as it had in the past. But the colours and brightness remained and the girl sighed. It was not that she did not appreciate the view, since her new vision made everything look more beautiful. From the bright green foliage to the azure sky, from the smallest crack in the paved courtyard to the smallest nail in the doorpost, everything looked more beautiful and distinct.

 

Kagome considered going to her mother with her latest problem but knew that the overprotective woman would get hysterical and confine her to the house. And the most important thing in the girl's mind right now was her escaping her mother's clutches. So she decided to keep quiet. `Maybe it will go away on its own like it did before. And it's not like it's dangerous or anything.'

 

Hurrying into her house, she ran up to her room and rapidly stripped the miko dress off. She glared at the clothes as if they were the root of all her problems, and then chuckled loudly as she realized that within a few hours she would be in Tokyo. Holding a shirt against her semi-naked body like she would a partner at a waltz, she began twirling and dancing around the room. A grin of pure happiness shone from her. `Praise the Kami! I'm leaving before I go insane; I'm going to be free again.'

 

A loud sound from downstairs alerted her to her idiocy and she hurriedly clad herself in a worn pair of black jeans and a pale green top. Pulling out a suitcase from her wardrobe, she began packing it, already dreaming of her coming term at Tokyo University.

 

An hour later, Kagome was ready to leave. Her luggage in her hand, she went downstairs and waited guiltily in the hallway. She was ecstatic about leaving the Shrine but also a mite unhappy that her mother would be left all alone. Despite whatever had happened in the past month, she still cared a lot for her mother and felt a pang of sadness at their separation.

 

Composing herself, she pasted a big smile on her face and entered the kitchen to bid farewell to her mother. A poignant farewell later, she was off, leaving an extremely worried and emotional Satori to quickly dial the number for Divine Protection.

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

 

Sesshomaru stood before the gates of Tokyo University. “Damn that pesky woman!” He growled in irritation and then quickly entered the campus area. The original plan had been that Sesshomaru would trail his charge from her house to the University, to ensure her safety, before changing to Kikyou and taking up her protection in his feminine form. But, that plan had gone to hell all thanks to the girl leaving her home earlier than what he had been anticipating.

 

When Kaede had called him up, he had been in the midst of his pre-case meditation session and had, hence, not been able to take her call. It was only some time later that he had seen the message blinking on the machine and had been informed of the bad news.

 

Orbing across the countryside, he had made good time, but he knew that the girl would have already reached the dorm. `If anything has happened to her due to my absence…No! She will be all right. Nothing will happen to her. It was not my fault.' Controlling his anger, he checked in with the campus security and the principal before changing forms to complete the formalities with the office.

 

A few minutes later, Kikyou was staring at a closed door, pinpricks of nervousness assailing her. Beyond this room lay her new charge, Kagome, and the beginning of her acid test. She took a deep breath, mentally prepared for whatever lay behind the door. She prepped herself up - `I am the best at what I do, and all the wonderful skills possessed by that old dog are still at my disposal. I've successfully handled this situation many times before, so what if I wear a different body. Let's do this! With increasing confidence, Kikyou squared her shoulders and grasped the handle. She opened the door and strolled in, the very picture of poise.

 

She had just about wrestled her bags inside, when she heard a gasp. She looked up and stared. In front of her was her wide-eyed reflection wearing a fluffy and indecently short towel-robe. While Kikyou wore a surprised expression, Sesshomaru was mentally groaning in dismay. `No way! How can this be? The miko, Kagome, is that desirable mystery girl from Poison? As if my task was not difficult enough, the Kami had to add this little distraction to the already chaotic mix!'

 

As he stood there inhaling her divine scent and perusing her lithe, semi-unclothed body, a pang of desire went through the Inu. `I will protect her from all harm, but who will protect her from me? '

 

 

TBC…

 

 

A/N: The next chapter will be up hopefully by Jan end. Wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

I spent a lot of time researching Japanese Purification Rituals to write the Kagome arc in this chapter and to make it as close to reality as I could. However, there may still be some inconsistencies and mistakes. If there are any, I'd request you to please point them out so I can rectify them.

 

Like it, Hate it or just indifferent to it, Please, please, please review. It would really mean a lot to me.

 

MM

 

Dragon Dagger: Thanks for pointing out Sesshomaru's `disorder'. It enabled me to rewrite those parts so that it was less ambiguous. I owe you. THANKS!! LOL.

 

Ethereal Siren: WOW! That was a wonderful review. Thank you so much, Anita! I absolutely loved it. ::BIG GRIN:: And your second review was also great. Thanks!

 

WiccanMethuselah: Thank you. ::Bows:: I had thought of stuffing in a het lime somehow, but now that I have all your support I can relax and let the tale unfold naturally.

 

Sovereignity: Thanks! The Rin parts have been fun to write. And yeah, I thought that the cliffy was great too.

 

sweetness92490: Thanks. ::Blushes:: To compensate for the month long delay in the update, here's an extra long chapter.

 

Kimaya Aya: Thanks! Well. I tried to end this chapter on a cliffy too but… ::frowns:: somehow the effect's not the same. Will try to write a better cliffy next time. LOL

 

Lunasoleil: OMG. Thanks, thanks and thanks. Your review totally warmed my heart. I almost got a high from reading all that praise. I'm glad you noticed that bit about my story and characters roughly following the anime. ::Grins:: About Sessy, well, we'll see more about him later.

 

Naomi_Ikahen: Thanks.

 

Sesshomaru_Kagome_lover_4ever: Oooooh! Damn, I'm going to have a swollen head if this continues. I LOVED your review. It was like I could feel your excitement spreading out from the words. I will confess I couldn't stop grinning after reading your review. People thought I'd got hold of some happy gas or something. So, a big thanks for making my day!

 

Amarioko: Thanks. ::gets buried under all that love:: I was wondering why no one was asking me who female Sessy was going to be. I guess everyone guessed who she was since I did try to make it obvious. I'm glad you liked the little twist. ::Laughs::

 

FFnet

 

Inuforlyf: Thank you. I think Chap 8 was my best chapter till date and I'm glad that you liked it.

 

OtakuAnime131: Thank you, dear talkative one, for your review. ::GRINS:: Like I said, it is as difficult to find good reviews since most seem to be of the “Update Soon!” variety. I'm extremely happy that you like the plot. ::bows:: Will endeavor to keep it as original as possible!

 

Violetcarson: Thank you for your support and encouragement. We'll hopefully see Sango's demon in the next chapter and the mayhem that follows... Yep its going to be hilarious all right ::LAUGHS::.

 

Midnight-flurry: I'm glad that you like it, but you ain't seen (er…read?) nothing yet. Yep, Sessy is a femme! Can you just imagine it? ::LAUGHS::